The Mormons: An Illustrated History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

by Roy A. Prete

From its establishment in 1830 in New York State, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown to be a world religion with almost 15 million members in 150 countries. Mormons are so called on account of their belief in the Book of Mormon, which tells the story of the ancient people of America. The Mormons is the only illustrated of its kind, and traces the faith from its foundation by Joseph Smith and the early days of intense persecution to the building of Salt Lake City under the leadership of Brigham Young and the massive expansion of the Church in the second half of the twentieth century. The book offers perspectives on the Church’s core values by those who practice the faith every day. Contributions from a range of Mormon experts consider a variety of topics – including the origins of the religion, its phenomenal success in recent decades as the Church has become increasingly international, its relationship to other churches, and the lifestyle of its members – making this the perfect introduction to Mormonism, one of the fastest-growing Christian churches in the world.

168 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

Roy A. Prete is emeritus professor of history at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. He obtained his MA from Brigham Young University and his PhD from the University of Alberta.

Reviews

[JG Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good starting point for anyone interested in the Latter-day Saint faith. It is high level, so it doesn’t get into too much detail on any particular topic, but this is a perfect book for beginners to learn the basics.

[JL Salty]

9/22
Pre read for collection development.
Not a deep dive into Mormonism, informative more that proselytizing . Lots of pages: photos make it more accessible for younger researchers.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a lark -- it was sitting on our New Nonfiction shelf, with its vibrant blue cover (my favorite color), and I just couldn't resist.

Anyways, I did learn a lot -- this religion has been around since the early 1800's. Believe it or not, the Mormon religion actually originated on this side of the country, as opposed to Salt Lake City or Utah. Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) live anywhere where there is religious freedom, and not just in the United States.

This book serves as not only a history of the Mormon religion, but as an informational resource, as well.

The official choir of The Church of Latter Day Saints, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is one of the best-known choirs in the world. It is composed of more than 360 carefully selected and well-trained vocalists who come from diverse backgrounds and professions, serve without pay, range in age from 25-60, and demonstrate great commitment in their volunteer service as they rehearse and perform more than 150 days each year. The choir is beloved worldwide for its many recordings and extensive tours, which have included performances in major concert halls throughout North America, Europe, Central America, Australia, Asia, and the former Soviet Union, to name a few. Five of the choir's recordings have achieved gold record status, and two have gone platinum. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," a 1959 recording with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, won a Grammy Award.

There is an Honor Code for students at Church-sponsored universities. They agree to live by these "rules":

Be honest
Live a chaste and virtuous life
Obey the law and all campus policies
Use clean language and respect others
Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee and substance abuse
Participate regularly in church services
Observe the university dress and grooming standards

There are LOTS of gorgeous color photographs in this book that help illustrate the various points of this religion.

Chapter 14 is dedicated to "Mormons Who Have Made a Difference." Some of these include: Donny and Marie Osmond (Are you surprised?), Gladys Knight, Stephanie Meyer, Steve Young, Torah Bright, Dale Murphy, Johnny Miller, The Marriotts (Yes, those Marriotts), Stephen R. Covey, Orrin Hatch, Harry Reid, and Mitt Romney.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great informational book with beautiful photographs.